This invention relates to a bolster structure for supporting a sleeping infant on its side. The present invention is an infant carrying or sleeping basket integrated with a carry handle and resting base to maintain stability of the basket and provide for a safe means to carry an infant. The disclosed invention provides a support mechanism related to means to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Much attention has been given to ways to reduce a risk of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, an affliction which threatens infants who have died in their sleep for heretofore unknown reasons. Many different explanations for this syndrome and ways to prevent the syndrome are found in the literature. It is thought that infants which sleep on their backs may be at risk of death because of the danger of formula regurgitation and liquid aspiration into the lungs. It has been thought that infants of six (6) months or less do not have the motor skills or body muscular development to regulate movements responsive to correcting breathing problems that may occur during sleep. Rolled blankets have been used behind the back of an infant to position the infant in an other than flat position, by biasing the infant to the left or to the right of a flat, level position. Blankets or other cushions temporarily placed in a crib are unsatisfactory for infant side support, because the blanket may unroll or the support structure may be pushed out of the way by movement of the infant. A structure is needed which is more permanent in nature to support an infant on its side while sleeping. The present invention describes a positioning structure which is integrated into a carrying basket which also is itself integrated into a base to provide for leveling of the device on any surface, be it a table, floor, car seat or even within an existing crib.
The prior art provides many different infant support and positioning systems which are generally adapted to the safe carrying of an infant on a transportation device, be it a bicycle, backpack, or infant car seat. With respect to devices which are designed to allow an infant to rest on its side, there is a less developed array of inventions which are available to teach just how to present an infant support system aimed at reducing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,836 issued to Barnes on Mar. 29, 1988 teaches a nursing bottle holder mechanism to reduce the chances of choking which provide for a level surface which is inclined at an angle to position the child generally on its side. Barnes teaches the use of such angling to prevent choking of the child while it is feeding from a bottle. Barnes does not teach a carrying mechanism, and also provides two flat surfaces which intersect at an angle, allowing the child to slip to one side more easily than with the motion taught in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,531 issued to Straub, et al. on Aug. 30, 1994 presents a specific device designed to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by teaching a bolster structure for infant side sleeping. Straub shows sharply angled surfaces that are used to wedge an infant between two bolsters to prevent the child from rolling in either direction. The invention taught in Straub is not designed for a carrying device, is not easily mobile and appears to have been designed to present a infant position and control mechanism for a flat surface such as an existing bed or crib.
The present invention as described below is designed to overcome certain limitations found in the prior art. The disclosed invention provides a useful integration of a structure to hold a child at an angled position while providing for a reference base and a carry mechanism and structure to allow the child to be transitioned from a resting area to being transported by arm to another location without the need to rouse the child or reposition the child in the carrying structure of the invention.
The present invention is directed to structures for securing an infant to rest in a position that will avoid the suspected causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The structure uses a basket with an integrated base design and an internally affixed inclined board or platform which positions the infant at a preferred angle from a normally prone position. The structure utilizes an internal support device to urge the infant to sleep on one of its sides such as to allow easier breathing and to avoid aspiration of regurgitated formula.
In the preferred embodiment, an inclined platform is integrated into a swaddling basket, the entire structure being either permanently or temporarily affixed to a base which provides that the basket always rest in an upright positionxe2x80x94thereby assuring that the internal platform within the basket is at an angle of between 20 and 35 degrees when measured from the ground and direction of gravity.
An important feature of the present invention is that the invention is fabricated from commonly found materials and a minimal amount of components. All the components necessary to build and use the present invention are found in even many poor countries of the world, thereby making the invention available at a lower cost. The invention as described is inexpensive to build and may be built from wicker, wood, plastic and even other woven materials. Any material which could be used to build a conventional infant swaddling basket may also be used to build the present invention.
The invention consists of an almost egg shaped basket wherein at least one end is open to allow the child""s head to extend beyond a covering which may be used in certain versions of the basket""s design. While not necessary, the basket itself could also present a cover over the top of the basket to act as a shelter for the child and may be attached to a handle which will allow the entire basket to be carried or placed on the ground in a resting position as in with a common basinet.
The entire design can be durable and long lasting. If desired, it can be cleaned by conventional methods when soiled and any cushioning placed within the internal inclined platform can be removable and cleaned separately.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a swaddling basket for the purpose of protecting very young infants, zero to nine months of age, from accidental death caused by suffocation during sleep. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swaddling basket which supports an infant in an angled sleeping position by providing passive restraints to the infant""s motion by holding a baby on its side during sleep by utilizing an angled platform in combination with a curved surface integrated into a infant basket. It is further the object of the present invention to provide an infant carrying basket which provides a mechanism to hold an infant in a preferred position for sleeping or resting which may transition from a resting position in a bed or crib to a carrying basket without reconfiguration.